


Swordplay

by spowell Once and Future Series (SPowell)



Series: Once and Future [10]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Returns, M/M, post episode 5x13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2014-05-28
Packaged: 2018-01-26 22:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1704302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/spowell%20Once%20and%20Future%20Series
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur's at home with a sword in his hand.</p><p>Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC, Shine, and legend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Swordplay

**Author's Note:**

> An on-going series. Sorry the way this isn't broken into chapters, but rather pieces. This is due to the fact that it wasn't originally intended to be a continuing story, and I had to publish it in pieces in order to comply with the competition rules for the prompts. I hope it doesn't put anyone off, as it obviously can't be read as separate, short pieces.
> 
> I hope no one here is an expert at swordsmanship. I did my best.

“I can’t believe this,” Arthur says, staring numbly as Brandon Davies shakes hands with Jake Winters. “I utterly can’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault,” Merlin murmurs. “I mentioned the weekend, and Brandon, being the medieval buff that he is, must have contacted Winters, who obviously invited him to come watch for research purposes.”

“My jaw is sore from all the teeth grinding I’ve been doing over the past few weeks,” Arthur grits out, watching Davies flit about the great room of Jake Winters’ country house. After the long drive there, the members of the club rest with drinks in the large, high-ceilinged room lined with books and various trophies.

Merlin squeezes Arthur’s arm. “Perhaps my influence will help Brandon write a book closer to the truth than those already published. I’ve been able to conjure up a few good ‘obscure’ pieces for him already.”

“Why, Merlin! You little sneak.” Arthur leans in for a kiss, heart lightened by Merlin’s very presence.

The sound of a throat clearing brings them apart, and Arthur looks over to see Joshua Parks, who’s just entered the room with a young lady in tow.

“Glad you could make it, Arthur, Merlin,” Joshua smiles. “This is my wife, Tabitha.”

The short, pretty red-head smiles and lifts a hand, stopping them from rising from their seats. “No, stay comfortable, please! Welcome to the group! Always room for another swordfighter. Do you play, Merlin?”

“Oh, no. I just watch,” Merlin chuckles. “I’m not particularly coordinated, I’m afraid.”

“Same,” Tabitha says. “But watching is great…all the sweat and muscles…quite a show.” She tweaks Joshua’s arm, and he kisses her temple.

“I’ll keep you company on the sidelines, too, Merlin,” Davies offers, walking up and perching on the edge of Merlin’s chair, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Arthur growls low in his throat, and Merlin pulls away from Davies under the pretense of asking Winters about a painting on the far wall.

As annoyed as he is that Davies managed to wiggle his way into their weekend, Arthur’s too excited about the sword fighting to remain in a foul mood.

“Would you like to spar with me?” Jake asks an hour later when they’re gathered outside in the open field. He’s a broad man, well-toned and easy with the longsword in his hand. Arthur eyes the familiar-looking equipment hungrily.

“I’ll go easy on you, if it’s been a while,” Jake adds, obviously taking Arthur’s silence for trepidation.

“No need for that,” Arthur assures him. “Let’s do it.”

They don head masks, neck guards, sparring gloves, and shoulder and elbow guards. Arthur can feel the blood surging through his veins, and when Joshua places the longsword in Arthur’s hand before stepping back, Arthur is a man again.

They face one another and salute. Arthur nods and Jake begins with a controlled attack, raising his arms to make a cut from above. Arthur immediately drops the tip of his sword and raises his hands into a left-hanging parry, wrists crossed, sloping right with his left foot. The edge of Jake’s blade meets the flat of Arthur’s and Arthur slopes right again, this time with the right foot, and makes a strong cut to Jake’s knee, which Jake just manages to block.

Jumping back as Arthur advances on him, Winters misteps, and Arthur knows his host is quickly re-evaluating things. While Jake must have known from Joshua that Arthur had some experience with the sword, he obviously did not expect this level of expertise. Arthur knows what it’s like to have to judge an opponent’s abilities within seconds of an attack, but Winters undoubtedly doesn’t have that advantage; however, to his credit, he quickly recovers and they continue to spar, seamlessly moving from one defense counter to the next, sweat seeping into their clothing as the late-day sun continues to burn from above.

Arthur’s muscles sing along with the clash of the sword blades, and just as he did when sparring with his knights as King of Camelot, Arthur soon becomes completely unaware of the people around him and knows only the thrill of raw instinct and skill, as well as the cunning anticipation of what an opponent will do next.

Jake Winters fights well, but he is no match for Arthur, who knows real sword combat. When Jake aims a cut to Arthur’s leg, Arthur makes a short thrust to just beside Jake’s head, advancing in before the cut can land.

The victor, Arthur steps back and straightens. Removing masks and gloves, the two men shake hands.

“That was truly marvelous,” Jake enthuses, wrapping an arm around Arthur’s shoulders as they exit the field and the next two opponents step in. “Where did you study?”

“My father was an expert swordsman; he taught me,” Arthur replies, which isn’t far from the truth. They begin removing their gear, and slowly Arthur’s tired muscles begin to relax. Once, long ago, Merlin would fill a large tub of hot water for him and scrub his back after a workout such as this. Arthur wonders now that he never drew his manservant into the tub with him.

“Your steps and paces are seamless,” Jake is saying with appreciation. “You should become a regular in our group. I don’t have anyone as worthy to spar with. I’ve been doing this for years; I even teach a class.”

Arthur’s immediately interested. To be able to do this---something he’s done his entire life—would be heaven.

“I would love to,” Arthur accepts, smiling at Jake just as Merlin joins them, the ever-present Brandon Davies in tow.

“Brilliant, Arthur,” Merlin says, hand squeezing the back of Arthur’s neck, somehow managing to fill him with more warmth than even the victory could.

“I’ll say,” Jake replies. “Arthur’s agreed to join our group.”

Merlin’s smile is bright and genuine. “That’s wonderful!”

“Do you want to be my squire?” Arthur winks at Merlin, and their eyes meet, memories shining between them.

“Would it be possible for me to get a lesson?” Brandon asks, and Arthur briefly considers offering to teach him himself just so he can jab at the infuriating man with a sword.

Merlin seems to read Arthur’s mind, for he hides a grin.

“I’ve got some brochures in the house,” Jake tells Davies. “But first let’s watch the others. Claude is an excellent swordsman, although I do believe Arthur here could beat him.” He leads Brandon away, and Arthur notes that Davies’ eyes linger a little long on Merlin before following.

“Feel good?” Merlin asks Arthur in a low voice.

Arthur lets out a breath. “I can’t tell you how good,” he answers truthfully, accepting the bottle of water Merlin hands him.

“I’m glad. It was great seeing you out there. I kept wishing Brandon would just stop talking so I could really enjoy it.”

“I was just thinking about those baths you’d give me after my sparring sessions with the knights,” Arthur says in a low voice, watching Merlin’s eyes dilate in response.

“There are still bath tubs in the world, my liege,” Merlin answers throatily, and Arthur shifts to allow his cock room to lengthen in his trousers.

They watch Perry spar with Claude, and then Joshua with another man as the sun begins to set behind the far ridge.

“Arthur, Merlin,” Perry walks up to them with his husband, Phillip. “Come join us inside for a drink.”

They gladly do, the cool interior of the house welcome after the mugginess of outdoors. Arthur excuses himself to go up to their room for a quick shower, deciding he’s far too filthy to wait until later when Merlin might give him the promised bath: and when he returns, he finds the trio in the library having cocktails.

“Phillip and Perry were just telling me about their wedding,” Merlin says as Arthur takes a seat in the large leather chair beside him.

“We married on the first of April,” Phillip supplies. “As quickly as we could once it became legal.”

Arthur is frankly amazed it _is_ legal, and the thought of marrying Merlin suddenly seems like the most wonderful prospect in the world. He glances over at Merlin, so beautiful with those sharp cheekbones and luminous blue eyes, long limbs arranged casually as he sits chatting with the two men; and Arthur’s heart fills with an enormous amount of love and longing—so much so that he’s forced to look away for a moment while he gets himself under control.

“How long have you two known one another?” Perry asks, and Merlin takes Arthur’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“Forever, it seems like,” Merlin replies, and then as truthfully as possible, “Since we were teenagers.”

Arthur vividly remembers the day he met Merlin; he will never forget it. It was the day his life changed.

Suddenly, more than anything, Arthur wants Merlin with him in the bed upstairs. He squeezes Merlin’s hand, subtly moving his thigh to brush against Merlin’s. Impatiently, Arthur listens to the three men chatting about…Arthur doesn’t even know what. He completely loses the train of conversation, concentrating only on the hand held in his own and the timbre of the beloved voice.

In an unexpectedly clumsy move, Perry manages to spill his next cocktail all over himself and his husband. As they excuse themselves to go change, Merlin tugs Arthur from the chair and out of the room.

“You did that,” Arthur accuses as they hurry up the stairs.

“I might have done,” Merlin confirms, yanking Arthur inside their room and shutting the door.


End file.
